Michael Rutter Blog: “Front row is just brilliant”

Rutter's at Thruxton, but Russell Joyner is running in his TT bike at Crescent

It’s been another amazing day. From the start of the meeting here at Thruxton I was running the settings that the team and Guintoli had been using and the bike has been bloody good.

All I’ve done different is to put some weight on the back and the only other thing has been giving it a few clicks on the suspension to suit the bumpy track. Then it’s been a case of me getting used to the bike and I’ve managed to put it on the front row of the grid. We’re fourth fastest. It’s brilliant.

Everyone here is on it though and to be up there, within a few tenths of the Airwaves Yamahas…well I’m so chuffed. But I’m also happy for the team who have had to work so hard this past week just to be here.

The track is still as bumpy as every but I’m enjoying myself so much. I’ve got Gary Mason sat next to me on the grid. I ran a little wide into Church on my best qualifying lap but I thought I’d carry on with the lap and did a 1:15.4. But I turned around and Gary was right there. I’d been towing him around so I knew he’d just edge me out of third fastest. His time was a 1:15.35. Fair play to him though.

I’ve no idea how things will go tomorrow. I’m happy to be on the front row and I’m really happy with the bike, but like I said yesterday, I’m going to feel even stronger with a race under my belt.

The Crescent boys are telling me that my own bike that I’m racing at the TT is almost finished now. Yesterday they ran it in on the dyno and now they’re just putting the finishing touches to it, fitting the faring, tank etc.

The plan is for them to bring it to the circuit tomorrow – well I hope it is. I’m off to the Island straight after we finish racing!